Flushing tank for water-closets



Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE- BERNARD GALLAGHER, OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

FLUSHING TANK roe WATER-omens.

Application filed August 18, 19 23.

The invention relates to flushing tanks for water closets and more particularly to a device for effecting proper operation of the valve which controls the flushing pipe. The invention is particularly adapted to flushing tanks of the siphon-valve type. In the operation of the ordinary water closet flush tank equipped with a vertically movable siphon valve a considerable quantity of water is wasted by improper seating of the flushing valve. The valve, when lowered to closed position, frequently does not drop properly upon or into the seat provided for it at the upper end of the flushing pipe of the water closet. This is due mainly to the'fact that the valve is usually so attached to or suspended from its operating lever as to be free to swing from the lever when raised from its seat. Inaccurate'seating of the valve may also be caused by the'fioat valve rod of the tank striking or sliding against the side of the siphon valve while the latter is being lowered. Also, where it happens that the Hush tank does not set plumb, the siphon tube will drop by gravity to a position not at right angles to the bottom of the tank and will thus be partially unseated. The leakage resulting from these causes is uneoonomical and the consequent continual running of the water from the tank down into the bowl of the closet is unpleasant and annoying. I

F or these reasons it is desirable to have some means for effectively and positively seating the siphon valve under all conditions and for firmly holding it upon its seat.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a means for guiding and seating the valve and for holding it seated. A further object is to so design and arrange this guiding means that it may be readily applied or fitted to any type of flushing tank that is equipped with a vertically movable valve, regardless of the position of the valve relative to the walls of the tank. A further object of the invention is to provide an effective and convenient means which will act as a guide for the flushing valve or its operating means, to insure proper and accurate- 5 seating of the valve.

Other objects and advantages of the 1nvention will appear in the following speci- Serial No. 658,106.

fication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is. a top plan view of a flushing tank equipped with the guide device,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line 33 of Fig.1. 7 i

In the drawings, wherein similar reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5 indicates a water closet flush tank having an inlet pipe 6 and an outlet or flushing. pipe 7. Thei'nlet pipe is provided with a control valve operated by a float 8 carried on the fioat rod 9.

The flow of water from the tank 5 is controlled by a siphon tube 10 of a wellnormally positioned on a valve seat 11 at the upper end of the flushing pipe 7. ,TllQ siphon tube 10 is adapted to be raised from and lowered upon this seat by means of an operating lever 12 and chain 13, the lever 12 being pivotally mounted on the tank, preferably on a bracket 14 on tank 5, and connected at its inner end to the siphon tube 10 through a link 15 carried in an apertured. lug 16 at the upper end of the tube.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the seat 11 at the upper end of the flush pipe 7 is beveled. The outlet end 17 of the tube 10 preferably carries a rubber washer 18 which is adapted to rest on the seat 11. The end of tube 10 may be extended down into the flush pipe a suitable distance and may be provided with openings 19 below the washer 18 through which the water may flow when the tube 10 is raised from seat 11.

All of the structure described above is of the usual well-known design, the details of such structure not forming a part of my invention and being shown merely as an example of the application of my invention to flushing tanks of this general type.

The numeral 20 indicates a guide arm pivotally mounted upon a pin 24 in a bracket 21 on one of the walls of the flush tank- 5, preferably a wall at right angles to that which carries the operating lever'12. The arm 20 is longitudinally slotted, as at 22, at its outer end andthis slot receives the aperturedlug 16 of the siphon tube 10 and permits the siphon tube to be moved in a direct vertical line. Arm 20 is preferably angled as shown at 23, but may well be straight or otherwise shaped, as conditions may require or make convenient.

In the operation of the device, when the siphon tube 10 is raised by a pull on the chain 13 the water in tank 5 will flow into the openings 19 of the outlet arm of the tube. A siphon action will thus be initiated and water will be drawn into tube 10 through its inlet end and thence down into the flush pipe 7. VJhen chain 13 is released and the siphon tube 10 drops it will be guided directly into proper seating position by the guide arm 20 and will be held in this position. The arm 20 can have no sidewise movement and the lit of the slot 22 about the lug 16 is sufliciently close to prevent relative movement between the two.

The washer 18 will thus be properly seated on seat 11 immediately the chain 13 is released and will be held in such position against any sidewise pressure which may be exerted by the float rod 9. The valve is thus tightly closed and leakage is prevented.

If an angled guide arm is used, as shown in the drawings, the siphon tube will be more securely braced, but where the wall of the tank is low a straight guide arm may be used with entire success. In either form of the device the pivotal mounting of the guide arm is such as to permit free raising and lowering of the valve.

It will be seen that even though the tank 5 may not set plumb the valve 10 will never- 1,eo2,o72 M theless be guided to a position at right an gles to the bottom of the tank by means of the guide arm 20.

I claim:

1. The combination with a flush tank having a reciprocating outlet valve and a valve seat, said valve including an integral siphon portion 01": a guide member pivotally m0nnt-' ed on the tank and having an opening adapted to normally receive said siphon portion to guide the valve to its seat.

2. The combination with a flush tank having an outlet valve and valve seat and an operating lever for the valve, of an angled arm pivotally connected to the tank and slidably engaging the valve to guide the latter to its seat, the arm being adapted to bear against the wall of the tank when the valve is seated and retain the valve in closed position.

The combination with a flush tank hav ing a siphon outlet Valve and a valve seat, of a member pivotally connected to the tank and having slidable engagement with the siphon valve to guide the latter to its seat.

4:. The combination with a flush tank having an outlet valve, a valve seat, and a valve operating lever, of an arm pivotally, connected to the flush tank and having an opening therein to slidably receive a portion of the valve to guide the latter to its seat.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

BERNARD GALLAGHER. 

